Interlocking card tray and card holder



Jan. 6, 1953 R. F. MOLINAR 2,524,582

INTERLOCKING CARD TRAY AND CARD HOLDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22. 1949 Y flail z j j i a i zgar 1044 BY mm \Ujgm ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 6, 1953 R. F. MOLINAR 2,624,582

INTERLOCKING CARD TRAY AND CARD HOLDER Filed Oct. 22, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 70 l 52 17 17 52 a 1 32 g 3g,

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Jan. 6, 1953 R. F. MOLINAR INTEJRLOCKING CARD TRAY AND CARD HOLDER 4 SheetsSheet 5 Filed 001:. 22. 1949 INVENTOR: fiz/ifiFJk flinaz;

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES Jan. 6, 1953 R. F. MOLINAR 2,62

INTERLOCKING CARD TRAY AND CARD HOLDER Filed Oct. 22, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR:

WITNESSES Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERLOCKING CARD TRAY AND CARD HOLDER 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an accessory for use in connection with card games. More specifically, the invention relates to a card holding accessory comprising a card receptacle and a plurality of relatively shallow card trays interfitted to the card receptacle.

In playing various card games such as canasta and several forms of rummy, a pile of cards is first placed face down on a table. During the progress of the game the players discard cards upon another pile facing upwardly and also place additional cards at different locations on the card table. In playing such card games, considerable difficulty is encountered in utilizing to best advantage the available space provided by a conventional card table and in maintaining order in the arrangement of the cards on the table. The players are often subjected to considerable inconvenience and delay in keeping the upwardly faced cards in a neat pile, and this is objectionable since in many games the top card should be the only visible card in the upturned pile. Various'card holding devices have been heretofore suggested for purposes of assisting the card players in playing various games, but these are not satisfactory for games such as canasta since they are not sufliciently compact or conducive to orderliness, nor are they adaptable for re-arrangement to take care of varying numbers of players. Moreover, the known accessories for card games ar relatively cumbersome to use and to store away when not in use.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an accessory for card games which overcomes the difiiculties indicated above. A further object of the invention is to provide a card holding accessory which is adapted for use in connection with a wide variety of card games. Another object is to provide a card holding device comprising a plurality of separate card holding units constructed to interfit to form a single composite structure in use. Still another object of the invention is to provide card holding units which may be readily re-arranged in different combinations and thereby adapted for use by varying numbers of players.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, including the simplicity and economy of manufacture of same, will appear in the descr-ip tion which follows and in the drawings.

In summary, the invention comprises broadly a centrally positioned, relatively deep card receptacle and a plurality of relatively shallow card trays arranged in surrounding relation to the central receptacle and releasably interlocked therewith to form a composite structure.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the card holding accessory of this invention arranged for four players;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are fractional sectional views of the central portion of the card holding accessory of the invention, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows II-II, III-III, and IV-IV respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the card receptacle and trays arranged for two players;

Fig. 6 is a fractional sectional view of the same taken as indicated by the lines and arrow VI-VI which appear in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the central card receptacle of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the surrounding card trays of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a central card receptacle I0 and four relatively shallow card trays H. The central receptacle ill is surrounded by the adjacent trays l I to form the assembled accessory.

The central card receptacle I0 is constructed.

to include a card well l2 which is particularly adapted to hold a pile of cards l3 and another card well [4 which is particularly adapted to hold a pile of cards I5. Well I2 has four relatively steep side walls It which are affixed to the bottom 30 (Fig. 2) of well [2 and to the top ll of the receptacle I 0. Well M has four side walls [8 of lesser gradient than side walls It. Walls l8 are affixed to the bottom 3| of well hi and to the top piece I! of receptacle [0. Well [2 is particularly adapted to receive discards of upwardly faced cards since it has relatively steep side walls it which are instrumental in attaining a neatly stacked pile of cards of which only the face of the top card 13 is visible to the players. By contrast, well [4 is particularly adapted to hold a pile of downwardly faced cards l5 since they may readily be removed one at a time by sliding them horizontally toward one of the side walls l8 and then exerting further horizontal force which slides the card upwardly along said side wall is and out of well I4.

Disposed horizontally and in surrounding relation to receptacle 10 having relatively deep card wells l2 and M are four relatively shallow card trays H. Trays II are particularly suitable for reception of relatively small numbers of cards; Each tray H has a bottom piece I9 which is divided into a series of card receiving compartments 20 which are arranged in side by side contiguous relation with upstanding partitions 2! between the individual compartments 20. Partitions 2| are formed integrally with bottom piece 19. Spaced equally along the top surfaces of each partition 2| are five grooves 22. The grooves 22 are of material benefit in that they facilitate the uniform spacing of upwardly faced cards 23 in compartments 20. At the outer ends of each compartment 20 is a finger receiving slot 24. Each slot 24 is open at the outer edge of the tray II and has a closed inner end spaced from the inner edge 25 of tray II at a distance less than the length of a card. This facilitates the rapid stacking of spaced cards 23 in compartment 20 to form a pile 26 of cards. The stacking of the cards is conveniently accomplished by the players finger which is inserted in the desired slot 24 and moved horizontally toward the inner edge 25 of the tray Referring to Fig. 2, the bottom 30 of card well I2 is rounded and formed integrally with sidewalls |6. The cards 3 form a pile in well l2 of which the bottom card |3 contacts the bottom 30 of the well at the side edges of the card |3 only. This is of importance in enabling the removal of the entire pile of cards I3 in accordance with the procedure of many card games since theentire pile is readily scooped by hand out of card well |2. Bottom 3| of well I4 is a flat member formed integrally with upwardly sloping side walls l8. Depending supporting end wall 32 is formed integrally with the top plate I! and is spaced from the side wall I6 of well 12. Depending supporting end wall 33 is formed integrally with side wall I8 and is spaced therefrom.

Depending supporting side wall 34 which is formed integrally with top pieces I! is slotted horizontally to form a card slot 35. Card slot 35 has a horizontal length corresponding approximately to the width of a, playing card and a height several times the thickness of a card. Slot 35 is constructed to receive and support a playing card which may be inserted therethrough during the course of a card game and is positioned centrally with respect to card well l2.

Slidably interfitted to depending side walls 34 and end walls 32 and 33 of the receptacle H) are relatively shallow card trays M (Fig. 2). Formed integrally with bottom piece IQ of card tray II is a channel member comprehensively designated by the number 36. The channel member 36 consists of an upwardly extending outer flange 25, a web 4|, and an inner parallel upwardly extending flange 40. The flanges 25 and 40 are preferably formed integrally with web 4|. The channel member 36 is constructed to interfit slidably with any one of the depending walls 32, 33, and 34 of receptacle I thereby securing tray II to central receptacle I0 to form a composite structure. The members 40, 4| constitute an interlocking unit for securing the tray H to the receptacle l0.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be apparent that card slot 35 is positioned above and spaced from the bottom 30 of card well |2 for the disposition of card 42 at an upward angle from the bottom 30 through slot 35. Card 42 is supported by the slotted depending side wall 34 and is in contact with bottom 30 of well I2 and the table or support on which the entirestructure is mounted. Inner flange 40 of channel member 36 has a rounded upper inner surface 43 which is cut away to provide free space intermediate the slot 35 and the bottom 30 for disposition of a card 42 therebetween.

With reference to'Fig. 4, it will be observed that the length of imier flange 40 is substantially equal to the distance between parallel side walls 34. Inner flange 40 interfits with either end wall 32 or 33, the lower edge 46 of which is offset or raised to accommodate the web 4|. Inner flange 40 is locked against sliding movement with respect to end wall 32, by side walls 34. Further referring to Fig. 4, each depending end wall 32, 33 has a pair of notches 44 at its lower corners, for a. purpose further to be explained hereinafter.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the pendant side walls 34 of receptacle I0 have central offset sections 45 which coact with the inner flange 40 and web 4| of each channel member 36 of trays II to interlock the tray H and the receptacle l0 when said flange and web are in registry with the offset section 45. Each depending side wall 34 has a pair of corner portions having lower edges 41 disposed at a single level and a central offset portion 45 intermediate the corner portions having its lower edge 48 at a higher level than the lower edges 41 of the corner portions of side wall 34. Channel member 36 is constructed to interfit slidably with the corner portions of side wall 34, the bottom edges 4! then being supported upon the web 4| of channel member 36. However, the ends 5| of web 4| lock with the inclined portions 48a of the offset bottom edges 48 of offset 45 when channel member 36 is in registry with offset 45, thereby positioning tray II at a desired location with respect to receptacle In to form a composite structure.

Depending end walls 32 and 33 have notches 44 at their lower corners. Each notch 44 has a shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of inner flange 40 of channel member 36. Card tray I is conveniently inter-fitted with receptacle In by sliding the inner flange 40 of channel member 36 through notch 44 with the upper face of web 4| sliding along bottom edge of runner 41 to the desired position which may be at any point alon the length of runner 47, or may be in interlocking position with respect to offset 45. This featur is of particular significance in that the adaptation of the composite structure to wide varieties of card games having different numbers of players is facilitated.

As appears in Figs. 5 and 6, the card receptacle I0 and trays II are readily rearranged for playing games for two players in which each player has occasion to use a relatively large number of compartments 20. Two trays II are interfitted with each depending side wall 34 of card receptacle ID. The web 4| of each channel member 36 supports the side walls 34 along half the length of the web 4|, the other half of each web 4| being disposed outwardly of the ends of receptacle II]. This arrangement may also be adapted for use by six players by including in the accessory an additional pair of trays II which are disposed laterally at each end of the composite structure shown in Fig. 5. Channel members 36 of such additional trays are simply inserted into the space between outer flanges 25 of the longitudinally disposed trays I I. Since the length of each channel member 36 is substantially equal to the distance between parallel depending side walls 34, the parallel flanges 25 lock the laterally disposed trays against lateral sliding movement. The inner flanges 40 and webs 4| of channel members 36 are preferably of a single uniform length and the trays H are constructed to be interchanged with one another as desired.

Although two examples have been shown for arranging the card holding trays and central receptacle in different interfittin relations, the players may find it desirable, when space permits, to maintain the trays in separate relation from the central receptacle, and it will be seen that the various units are so designed that they may be disposed in many different arrangements according to the convenience and numbers of the players participating in the game.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that the invention may also be practiced by substituting a wide variety of modificationsor equivalents for the elements shown and described herein. All such modifications includin reversals of parts and the use of certain features of the structure independently of the use of other features are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a receptacle including a dish-shaped well for receiving a stacked pile of cards, and a runner surrounding the well and spaced from the sides and ends thereof, said runner comprising side and end sections, each side section having a bottom edge with corner bottom edge portions disposed at a common level, an intermediate bottom edge portion above said common level, and upwardly inclined edges connecting said corner bottom edge portions to said intermediate bottom edge portion, a card tray, an interlockin unit disposed at the edge of said tray, said interlocking unit having a web shaped for reception of the runner, a section of said web being shaped to correspond to the shape of the intermediate portions of the runner and constructed to interlock with said upwardly inclined edges, whereby the tray and the receptacle are adapted to be interfitted and interlocked to form a composite structure.

2. An accessory for a card playing game comprising a card receptacle, a pendant side wall on said card receptacle, said pendant wall having a bottom surface comprising a pair of end surfaces at a common level which serve to support the accessory and an intermediate bottom surface at a higher level, a card tray, a wall receiving interlocking unit on said card tray, said interlocking unit having a web shaped to interfit slidably with the end surfaces of the pendant wall and of proper length to interlock with the bottom edge of said pendant wall when in registry with said intermediate bottom surface of the pendant wall.

3. An accessory for a card playing game comprising a central receptacle having two relatively deep wells, one of said wells having a rounded bottom and relatively steep sides and the other well having a flat bottom and flat inclined sides, said receptacle having pendant sides and ends, one of the pendant sides including a vertically disposed wall element having an elevated bottom edge and downwardly directed edges at the ends of said elevated edge, a plurality of relatively shallow card trays disposed horizontally and in surrounding relation to the central receptacle, each of said trays carrying an upwardly directed flange constructed to embrace the elevated bottom edge of the receptacle side wall for locking engagement with said downwardly directed edges, each of said card trays being divided into parallel sections by means of a plurality of notched upstanding partitions and each of said parallel sections havin an elongate slot with an open outer end at the outer edge of the tray and a closed inner end spaced at a distance less than the length of a card from the inner edge of the tray.

4. An accessory for playing a card game on a table or like base comprising a card receptacle having a bottom, a side wall extending upwardly at an obtuse angle thereto, a depending wall on said receptacle adjacent said side wall, said depending wall supporting the receptacle bottom above the surface of said base a card receiving slot in said depending wall'above'the receptacle bottom, a card tray, wall engaging means on-said card tray including an upwardly extending flange constructed to interfit withsaid depending wall below said card slot with the' upwardly extending flange disposed between the side wall and the depending wall of the receptacle, .said upwardly extending flange having a shaped upper inner surface adjacent the side wall of the well and below the slot to provide free space for disposition of a card between the card slot and the bottom surface of the card receptacle.

5. An accessory for a card playing game comprising a card receptacle having a pair of integral card wells and having a pair of ends and a pair of sides longer than the ends, the sides and ends each including a vertically disposed wall element having an elevated bottom edge centrally positioned thereon, the elevated bottom edges being bounded by inclined boundary edges and being of equal length on all the walls, and a plurality of card trays each having a wall receiving interlocking unit of uniform length constructed slidably to interfit with a pendant wall and to interlock with said inclined boundary edges.

6. A card playing accessory for use in card games played on a table or other horizontal base comprising a card receptacle; a pendant side wall on said receptacle; said pendant side wall having an offset bottom edge comprising a first substantially horizontal bottom edge at one corner of the receptacle, said first substantially horizontal bottom edge being adapted to bear against the horizontal base to support the corner of the card receptacle thereon, a first upwardly disposed edge, an intermediate horizontal bottom edge at a level above said first bottom edge, a second upwardly disposed edge, and a second substantially horiozntal bottom edge at another corner of the receptacle, said second substantially horizontal bottom edge being adapted to bear against the horizontal base to support said other corner of the receptacle, said upwardly disposed edges connecting th intermediate edge to each of said corner edges; a card tray; a wall receiving interlocking unit at one edge of said card tray; said interlocking unit including a web and a pair of upwardly disposed spaced apart flanges attached to said web, the bottom edge of the web being adapted to contact the horizontal base and the top edge of the web being adapted to contact the bottom edge of said pendant side wall; said web having upwardly disposed end edges spaced apart from one another at a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the upwardly disposed edges of the bottom of said pendant side wall, whereby the web ends are constructed to interlock with said upwardly disposed bottom edges to maintain the card tray in definite position on said card receptacle.

7. An accessory for a card playing game, comprising a receptacle including a dish-shaped well for receiving a stacked pile of cards, an integral runner spaced from the sides of the well, said runner having a raised offset bottom edge intermediate its ends and lower bottom edges at its ends, said lower bottom edges constituting supports for the accessory, a card tray, and an interlocking unit on th edge of said card tray, the interlocking unit being constructed for sliding reception of the runner and having a length substantially the same as that of said raised offset bottom edge, said interlock being constructed to interlock with the oifset runner, the weight of said receptacle urging said runner downwardly 7 8 toward said interlocking unit and :serving to re- UNITED STATES PATENTS ta-in said interlocking relationship. Number Name Date RUTH MOLINAR- 532319 White Jan. 15, 1895 1,588,271 Saint et a1 June 8, 1926 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,673,825 Hoffman June 19, 1928 The following references are of record 1n the 1,705,531 Marco et a] Mar, 9 1929 file of this patent! 2,008,829 Israel July 23, 1935 $513,219 Tweed 1 June 27, 1950 

